Harmony Is Added In (British Style)
by yellow blaze
Summary: HumanAU Part 3 of Life with Lyrics Series! Senior year has come around and Arthur looked toward the new schoolyear with the same amount of optimism he had at the start of last year...none whatsoever. Those annoying redheads at home who can't find a college who will actually accept them certainly are not improving his outlook on life. Only rated T for use of language.
1. School starts tomorrow

OKAY PEOPLE. This is the LAST one. Seriously now. =_= (most) Every single review I read was something along the lines of "that wasn't seriously the end. What happened with Gilbert?" Or something along those lines. SO. Here we go. One more time. I will do my best to not almost-kill anyone this time around. *cough cough*

_Narrator (also known as Author): Much like how the last one began with the start of the junior year, we fast-forward to the senior year. Last year was getting a bit chaotic to add anything to. I will try to do better with teachers this time around. XD Allistor and Reilly, for those wondering, are no longer in high school (obviously, since they were older than Arthur). They are, however, still living at home, so you will see them now and then. :) The last story ended around the end of November, so we're about eight months into the future. Anything that happened last year that might not have been covered (more than likely due to me forgetting to add it) will be added as a memory, which you will see in text just like this Narrator comment. I'll try not to do an entire chapter in italics again though. That was a little hard on the eyes. =.= Oh and also, as with Life with Lyrics, this has four parts to it. :) I enjoyed writing those more than I enjoyed writing the single one. And this way I can focus more on each individual couple, yes? :) Anyone with a question about something that may have happened in either of the fanfics preceding this one is free to ask in a review! Also, keep in mind that if you leave a review as Anonymous, I cannot respond to you no matter how many questions you ask. :)_

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* * *

**Adding Harmony to the Music and Lyrics of Life** (A.N: That title is just getting longer)

Arthur pulled his feet up onto the couch cushion and sat with his back leaning against the armrest. Summer had gone by entirely too damn fast, and now his senior year was beginning only tomorrow. He tilted backwards, staring at the living room upside down, of course now Peter was also upside down and making a face at him.

"What are you even doing?" Peter only glanced at him for a half a minute before redirecting his attention to whatever racing game he was playing on the television screen.

"Wishing school wasn't tomorrow. Shut it." Arthur snapped. He'd go on the computer, but Allistor had borrowed it for some unknown reason, and had yet to return it. Curiosity almost made him ask what had happened to Allistor's laptop, but since the saying went 'curiosity killed the cat', he decided not to.

"Big deal. Your last year. Reilly said that senior year is the easiest." Peter scoffed and continued racing (though Arthur noticed he was in last place), "I'm going into my freshman year!"

"Yeah, have fun with that." Arthur rolled his eyes. And hopefully Peter had a better time in his freshman year than Arthur had in his. Though a rumor had gone around that there were new teachers this year (not surprising considered the events of last year).

Pulling a still-sealed envelope off the coffee table, Arthur weakly opened it and pulled out the letter inside, "Might as well see my class assignments…"

"I'm not opening mine until I get there." Peter huffed, "I don't want to know what classes I got stuck in! Ah crap. I lost again."

Arthur looked upwards towards the ceiling for a moment before at the paper again, "Huh…" He tilted his head slightly, reading over the entrance paragraph, "Seems there's an assembly tomorrow for all students."

"Oh terrific. New school and I have to sit in a boring assembly." Peter re-started the race and waited for the light to turn green.

"Especially with our school's track record of assemblies." Allistor wandered into the room, "Does it say what the assembly is about?"

Arthur smiled, "Preceding year's events has led to our very own Principal Smith to revising several of the handbook's rules. The assembly will cover these new rules as well as some other topics of conversation on behavior that is not tolerated."

"That one actually sounds like a fun one to attend." Allistor leaned on the couch, "Pity. Video tape it would you? I could use some comedy in between trying to sit through college interviews."

"Why does a college have to do an interview process anyway?" Reilly snorted, coming in right behind Allistor, "This is damned annoying. They didn't tell us that in high school!"

"And I'm sure it doesn't help that many of them look at your school records and promptly respond: don't call us, we'll call you." Arthur commented without looking up.

Peter burst out laughing and ended up steering his car into the wall as a result.

"I hope your car crashes and bursts into flame." Reilly snapped.

"On a videogame?" Arthur raised both eyebrows at Reilly, "By the way, is my computer available to use now?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, go ahead." Allistor shrugged and plopped down in the vacant recliner.

Arthur rolled off the couching, giving Reilly room to sit. "Good. Going to go compare schedules with people online and see if I have any classes with friends I actually know."

Reilly grinned, "What's the fun of that? You can make more friends if not!"

"Says the person who threatened the secretary as soon as he discovered he was in _one_ class without Allistor." Arthur glared at Reilly before leaving the room.

"You threatened the secretary?" Allistor looked over at Reilly.

"Eh. Twins are different." Reilly dismissed the subject with a wave of his hand, "Peter, your driving sucks. Pull off the damn road before you hit a pedestrian!"

Arthur shook his head at Reilly's comments and made his way up the stairs. He had only ridden with Reilly once while the older male was driving, and thank you, _never again._ That driving was worse than Miss Summers. Arthur opened the door to his bedroom and spotted the laptop where it had been before Allistor borrowed it, "At least he put it back this time."

Collapsing in the desk chair, Arthur lifted the top and automatically signed online to see who was online.

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**HermitArthur: Oh that's nice. Allistor changed my name again.**

**LovisAntonio: Hiiiiii~ What are your classes? Mine are awful…**

**GrumpyLovino: Would you stop saying that. They can't be that bad.**

**HermitArthur: …Um…first class appears to be Ancient Times. That's just history right?**

**GrumpyLovino: What's with the damn names? Life prep? That's a class?**

**LovisAntonio: Oh hey, Cruz has that class first too! :D**

**AnnoyedAs****Cruz has signed on!**

**GrumpyLovino: …**

**HermitArthur: Well then.**

**AnnoyedAs****Cruz: What the **** is with these ******* classes?**

**LovisAntonio: T_T**

**GrumpyLovino: Oi. Did you two have an argument or something?**

**AnnoyedAs****Cruz: No.**

**LovisAntonio: T_T Cousins should totally hug.**

**AnnoyedAs****Cruz: NO.**

**HermitArthur: Ah…**

**GrumpyLovino: Geez…**

**FoulMouthedRedHead: HILARIOUS ARTHUR.**

**HermitArthur: :) Serves you right. Stop taking my computer and changing my screenname.**

**LovisAntonio: Can't tell which one it is though…**

**SlightlyAnnoyedCruz: More than likely the younger of the two.**

**HermitArthur: You would be correct.**

**Allistor: **** brat.**

**HermitArthur: =_=**

**LovisAntonio: Oh so hey, Lovi, what happened last night that you changed your username?**

**Lovino: Nothing.**

**SlightlyAnnoyedCruz: it changed.**

**HermitArthur: Yeah.**

**Allistor: =_=**

**LovisAntonio: :I Tell me~**

**Lovino: It was nothing!**

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Arthur leaned back in his chair, ignoring the conversation flying by now. He could hear Reilly cursing out Peter's driving (still) and let out a long sigh. Another summer down…still didn't tell Alfred. This year. This year for sure.

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First chapter is done~ :D


	2. FoulMouthedRedHead

This is fun~ :D

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Arthur glared up at Allistor who was currently glaring back down at him, "What?"

"You know damn well what! What the hell is with that username you gave me?!" Allistor scowled, radiating about as much annoyance as Reilly _still_ was (though by the sounds of it, he was now the one driving).

"Like you should talk. You called me a hermit." Arthur retorted, waving a hand in a 'shoo' motion, "You know how to change the name back, so don't come over here and raise a fit about it. You'll be lucky if I let you use my computer again."

Allistor leaned an arm on Arthur's head and poked at the younger male's cheek, "Borrowing the computer whether you give me permission or not. It's not like you use it when you're at school anyway~"

"If you would find a college to actually accept your bad attitude, you would be in one, too, so shut it!" Arthur pushed Allistor away.

Redirecting his attention to the chatroom, Arthur spotted the most recent comments between Antonio and Cruz, shaking his head with a sigh.

**HermitArthur: …**

**Lovino: Suddenly it occurs to me why he's annoyed.**

**LovisAntonio: T_T**

**AnnoyedCruz: Why did they pick TODAY to re-do the damn paint in the bedroom?!**

**HermitArthur: Even if they had picked some other day, you would still have to sit in the same room…**

**LovisAntonio: Am I that annoying…**

**Lovino: oi. Don't start crying again. You're not annoying.**

**AnnoyedCruz: They could have done it tomorrow. When we're in SCHOOL.**

**HermitArthur: Speaking of that...we were on the subject of classes earlier. What's the second class?**

It definitely seemed safest to distract from the conversation that they were currently on. That and Arthur was curious about their class schedules, since it seemed he didn't have anyone in his first one (as of yet anyway).

**Lovino: Brb again. It's five after four and the clock struck a little late.**

**AnnoyedCruz: So you have to reset it because of a crappy five minutes?**

**HermitArthur: I think he was referring to his parents arguing downstairs.**

**LovisAntonio: Yeah. It's Sunday.**

**AnnoyedCruz: …this is a weekly thing.**

**HermitArthur: As soon as Roma gets home, yes.**

**AnnoyedCruz: That would be called 'an issue' and would probably need help.**

**LovisAntonio: So blunt…**

**AnnoyedCruz: Deal with it. -_-**

**HermitArthur: …so I'm in Psychology second bell apparently…**

**LovisAntonio: Oh, I'm in um… Life Prep?**

**AnnoyedCruz: Terrific. I'll tell you to run for it if it's awful.**

**LovisAntonio: Uh…what kind of classes are these.**

"Yeah really. Life prep? Psychology? What the hell are those classes?" Allistor plucked the class schedule out of Arthur's hand, glaring at the paper.

"Give that back." Arthur yanked it back out of his hand, "So they changed classes a bit. Maybe it'll help with getting into a college."

"Cute." Allistor smacked Arthur on the back of the head, "I highly doubt you're getting into college before we do."

"At the rate you're going?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"It's been three months, shut it!" Allistor snapped.

Arthur stuck his tongue out at Allistor's back as the redhead stalked out of the room. He looked back to the computer screen once more and sighed. Doing real well at getting along with people.

**AnnoyedCruz: No clue. Oh look. I have gym in the next class.**

**LovisAntonio: :D maybe we got a new teacher!**

**HermitArthur: Well we actually have gym on the schedule, so that would be a good assumption.**

**AnnoyedCruz: seeing as how the teacher vanished after the chasing-through-the-hall incidents.**

**LovisAntonio: D: That was so not cool.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Try being the one chased. Even worse.**

**HermitArthur: I can imagine.**

**LovisAntonio: Hug~**

**AnnoyedCruz: NO **** it.**

**HermitArthur: I give you credit for trying Antonio.**

**LovisAntonio: T_T**

**AnnoyedCruz: stop crying **** it!**

**HermitArthur: …**

**Lovino: What? Why is he crying again? Oh by the way I have Ancient Times second.**

**HermitArthur: Near as I can tell, he got denied a hug.**

**Lovino: …**

**AnnoyedCruz: That should not be new to you. I do not hug people.**

**LovisAntonio: T_T**

**Lovino: …You hug Matthew…**

**AnnoyedCruz: Hilarious. And I heard that.**

**LovisAntonio: Couldn't hold in the laugh on that one.**

**Lovino: I succeeded in my attempt then.**

**HermitArthur: XD**

**Lovino: Any plans for the schoolyear?**

**AnnoyedCruz: To get through it alive.**

**LovisAntonio: One day at a time…**

**HermitArthur: Same as last year.**

**Lovino: Oh brilliant. These plans sound like real winners.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Don't be a smart*****

**LovisAntonio: I didn't really have a plan last year…**

**HermitArthur: I did. And I didn't complete a single thing.**

**Lovino: Procrastination.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Seems to be a habit with everyone.**

**Lovino: and obviously you're not holding out much hope with the teachers.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Never do.**

**LovisAntonio: I wonder what that assembly is about… that should be interesting at least.**

**HermitArthur: I'm not too sure about interesting… depends if they show a video or not.**

**Lovino: I hope not. Last year's video was bad enough.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Wasn't in it, thought it was hilarious.**

**LovisAntonio: Such a loud lecture…**

**Lovino: Grandpa spared me from having to listen to one…**

**HermitArthur: It must be nice to live with someone who understands…**

**Lovino: …no. It's really not.**

**AnnoyedCruz: ._.**

**LovisAntonio: :D …**

**Lovino: I think it's making things worse actually. He's as bad as I am.**

**HermitArthur: Ah…yes well. He is a counselor. He's allowed to lose his temper I suppose.**

**Lovino: No comment.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Is this the weekly thing?**

**LovisAntonio: D: Tell Roma to cheer up~**

**Lovino: Oh sure. Soon as he comes out of his room.**

**LovisAntonio: D:**

**HermitArthur: …**

Arthur leaned back from his computer, waiting for the retort he was almost-sure was coming. It appeared that Allistor had forgotten about the chatroom however, because the conversation continued uninterrupted.

**AnnoyedCruz: when is supper going to be ready anyway?**

**LovisAntonio: Soon as mom stops the fire alarm.**

**Lovino: ._. I keep forgetting that's a normal thing at your house.**

**HermitArthur: I'm amazed.**

**AnnoyedCruz: Someone else in this house seriously needs to learn how to cook…**

**LovisAntonio: :D I can cook!**

**AnnoyedCruz: …one recipe does not count as being able to cook.**

**Lovino: Amazed about what? And at least he can cook one thing without burning it.**

**HermitArthur: there was no comment about coming out of one's room from the redhead.**

**Lovino: Oh that is amazing.**

**AnnoyedCruz: I suppose. One night a week without hearing the smoke alarm.**

**LovisAntonio: D: I can cook it more than one night…**

**AnnoyedCruz: That would get really repetitive. I don't think I could eat the same thing every night.**

**Lovino: There's a cooking class apparently. Feliciano was saying Ludwig had Cooking 101…**

**HermitArthur: that's a remedial cooking class. For people who failed cooking last year.**

**AnnoyedCruz: well gee. I wonder why he failed.**

**LovisAntonio: It was totally the stove's fault. They even said it had a clogged line.**

**Lovino: Yeah, like they're going to blame students for almost burning down the school by cooking.**

**HermitArthur: XD**

**LovisAntonio: I believe in their innocence~**

**AnnoyedCruz: You go right ahead and do that.**

**HermitArthur: I'm a little amazed I'm not in that class… I suppose I did succeed in one thing last year.**

**Lovino: good for you.**

**LovisAntonio: :D Yay~**

Arthur stood up and peered out of his room. That would explain why there was no retort. Allistor was downstairs in the kitchen. "…" He wandered into the hallway and moved one room down into the bedroom the two redheads shared (why he had no idea, it wasn't like there wasn't a spare room or two around the house one of them could move into). Allistor's computer remained open on the desk, and Arthur lifted the top screen, peering at the open window with a raised eyebrow.

"College application for… studying abroad. Well then. That would explain it." Arthur tilted the screen back down and stepped back out into the hallway and ducked back into his own room before Allistor came up the stairs. That must be why he's having a hard time finding a college to get accepted to. Arthur returned to the chair in front of his desk and glanced at the chatroom once more.

He drummed his fingers on the desktop for a few minutes, thinking about the college application. Reilly hadn't mentioned anything about studying abroad, in fact, he had just mentioned to their parents about applying for one that was about a twenty minute drive from the house.

"Huh…I guess he's trying to branch out a bit… that or he just misses Ireland." Arthur shrugged. Well it was Allistor's business if he wanted to go to college in a different country. Good luck when Allistor had to tell Reilly that though. Considering the two were normally side by side.

**HermitArthur: Apparently Allistor isn't at the computer.**

**Lovino: that would be why there was no comment then**

**AnnoyedCruz: You actually went to check…**

**HermitArthur: I was curious.**

**LovisAntonio: XD Oh hey, supper's ready! Byeeeee!**

**AnnoyedCruz: Burnt supper. Yum.**

**LovisAntonio has signed off!**

**AnnoyedCruz has signed off!**

**Lovino: He sounds so thrilled.**

**HermitArthur: He does.**

**Roma: Who would be thrilled about that?**

**Lovino: YOU WERE IN HERE THE WHOLE TIME.**

**Roma: Of course I was. XD I was just hidden.**

**HermitArthur: …well then. Hello.**

**Lovino: what was the point of talking in the other window then?! Idiot!**

**Roma: ;D It's okay Lovi~ Hiiiii Arthur~**

**HermitArthur: :) So now it's three… that I know of.**

**Roma: Who's FoulMouthedRedHead?**

**Lovino: Allistor**

**Roma: XD**

**HermitArthur: He changed mine, I changed his.**

**FoulMouthedRedHead has signed off!**

**Roma: Oh**

**Lovino: He was back**

**HermitArthur: Well he never went by the room. I think the computer went into sleep mode.**

**Roma: Any hidden people in here~**

**Lovino: …who would answer that?**

**GilbertofAwesome: someone who didn't want Vati finding out he was slacking on schoolwork.**

**Lovino: Oh for…**

**Roma: XD**

**HermitArthur: Oh hello! How is that going?**

**GilbertofAwesome: I wanna take a nap. T_T**

**Roma: D:**

**Lovino: that bad.**

**GilbertofAwesome: Is it some kind of stupid rule that all textbooks have to use insanely small print?**

**HermitArthur: Uh…**

**Roma: Well they do have to fit a lot in those books…**

**Lovino: At least it's a new year so we get all new ones…**

**HermitArthur: Yeah. We're the first ones to write our names in the book.**

**GilbertofAwesome: :D Awesome! I can't wait to write something hilarious~**

**Roma: XD**

**Lovino: Hey! Try writing your name!**

**GilbertofAwesome: That is totally no fun.**

**HermitArthur: I suppose someone could take up all the boxes just to be funny…**

**Lovino: I'm not doing that.**

**GilbertofAwesome: or just doodle on the whole cover.**

**Roma: If you do that, I didn't condone it.**

**Lovino: You are a bad influence on us all.**

**HermitArthur: Well it doesn't say in the book we have to write our names…**

**GilbertofAwesome: Ja. So we can write whatever we want. I can do the grim reaper one.**

**Roma: …not the grim reaper. Principal said he was going to page that one to the office if he saw it.**

**GilbertofAwesome: K. Not the reaper. How about…**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: How about finishing your schoolwork?**

**Roma: Oh he was here.**

**HermitArthur: …that username is getting longer.**

**Roma: XD**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: Shut it Roma. Gilbert, stop changing my name!**

**GilbertofAwesome: D: Vati, you're so meeeean. I finished already, honest! I tired~!**

**Lovino: …I'm just gonna go set the table now…**

**Lovino has signed off!**

**Roma: Oh I guess that means I have to go. *large sigh***

**UnawesomeMeanVati: Don't sound so thrilled.**

**Roma: meh. I can just skip supper I guess.**

**HermitArthur: …**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: …**

**GilbertofAwesome: Careful. You might end up with four or five doors.**

**Roma: I have yet to see Alexander break a door.**

**HermitArthur: careful what you say… there might be other spies in the room…**

**Roma: Alexander didn't even have his computer on. I was in his study earlier.**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: Ja, well, don't go annoying him. Supper can't be that bad.**

**Roma: It's not supper I'm annoyed at.**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: oh.**

**GilbertofAwesome: can I go to sleep now?**

**UnawesomeMeanVati: YOU'RE EATING SOMETHING FIRST.**

**GilbertofAwesome: T_T**

**UnawesomeMeanVati has signed off!**

**Roma: …Bye Gilbert~**

**GilbertofAwesome: Byeeee… T_T**

**HermitArthur: Enjoy.**

**GilbertofAwesome has signed off!**

**Roma: well then.**

**HermitArthur: I don't even know what we're having yet…**

**Roma: Oh we're having spaghetti here. Or they're having. I still have no plans to join.**

**HermitArthur: You really are going to end up with a broken door…**

**Roma: Well he'd have to break the chair too. I don't want company. :I**

**HermitArthur: Clearly.**

**Roma: And by the sounds of it, that's what he's going to end up doing.**

**HermitArthur: Good luck.**

**Roma has signed off!**

**HermitArthur: well. No point in talking to myself…**

Arthur pushed himself away from his computer and waited a minute to make sure no one was going to pop out of hidden status. Then again, he didn't really have anything else to be doing at the moment. His parents still weren't home, so they must be on their own as far as supper went. Leaving the bedroom, Arthur headed down the stairs, noticing Allistor was no longer in the kitchen, but had moved instead to the living room once more.

"Is there anything worth eating in the first place?" Arthur yanked open the fridge door and raised an eyebrow. Obviously not worth eating. There was plenty _not_ worth eating (such as food that probably should have been thrown out a while ago). "Terrific…" He kicked the door shut and instead went to have a bowl of cereal.

"Giving up on waiting?" Reilly appeared in the doorframe, apparently having given up on the videogame.

"If they're not home by now, then mother isn't going to feel like cooking." Arthur said flatly, pouring a box of cereal into a plastic bowl, "And I'm not dealing with your cooking again."

"It wasn't even that bad." Reilly rolled his eyes, but yanked the box of cereal from Arthur's hand and took another bowl from the cupboard, "Don't feel like cooking anyway."

"Right. Even you don't want to eat it." Arthur smiled and ducked out of Reilly's reach to head into the living room.

"Ha ha ha." Reilly snapped, following right behind.

Arthur curled up on the recliner while Reilly joined Allistor on the couch, all three just watching Peter race around the track on the television. Arthur paused in eating to stare for a moment, "Isn't that the same course you were on before?"

"I didn't finish it yet!" Peter responded, without tearing his eyes away from the screen, "I'm not quitting until I do this!"

"Right." Arthur shook his head and continued eating with a sigh.

Allistor leaned on the armrest, a look of disinterest on his face, "He had paused earlier to race Reilly instead, but they still didn't finish in the top ten…"

"This track is crap!" Peter yelled, "I'm about ready to throw the controller!"

"Go for it. Aim for the screen while you're at it." Reilly smirked, "Maybe we can get a better one."

"Only if someone else pays for it. Mom and dad won't." Arthur commented.

"Meh." Reilly propped his feet on the center cushion of the couch and burst out laughing as Peter steered his car into the wall, "You're doing a marvelous job!"

"Ah crap." Peter grumbled, "Stupid wall."

"Well try aiming for the road next time." Allistor said flatly.

"It's not like I steered into the wall on purpose!" Peter threw the controller at the wall and huffed, crossing his arms with a pout on his face, "Stupid track. The other drivers hate me."

"No doubt. Just take the loss and let the other drivers move on." Arthur sighed, "I'm sure they have better things to be doing."

"They're video game characters." Reilly raised an eyebrow at Arthur, "I'm sure they don't."

"Don't they move around like in the other one?" Arthur looked back at the game.

"I refuse to lose!" Peter grabbed the controller and hit re-start again.

The other three in the room let out a loud sigh in unison. At least Peter was determined.

.

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Fun fun. Oh my god that was long. ._.


	3. Something I said?

It is taking me entirely too long to type these chapters out. I tell you what. I feel like I cannot get enough sleep. X_x

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Arthur shuffled around the dining room, glancing up at the clock now and then as he set his plate of (…what the hell had he been cooking again?) breakfast on the table. Definitely a good thing he had that cooking class this year. He was going to need all the help he could get. Arthur sighed and sat down. Peter had yet to get up, but there was also time to spare so no point in yelling at him (especially not when the bedroom of the two wrathful redheads was right next to Peter's bedroom).

"I swear I'm the only one who gets up on time in this house." Arthur shook his head and bit into the (burnt) toast, making a slight face at the taste of it. Got up early every morning to attempt to make breakfast and failed every morning. About the time he did manage to make something not burnt, he was probably going to throw it at Allistor or Reilly for annoying him.

"You're up early."

Speaking of the redheads. Arthur glanced up at Allistor wandering into the kitchen, "At least I have a reason to be."

"As do I. Real cute." Allistor snapped, hitting Arthur on the head, "I have an interview to attend in thirty minutes for your information."

"…Shouldn't you have gotten up a while ago then?" Arthur rubbed the top of his head, glaring at the taller male.

"Well not all of us function on two hours of sleep." Allistor returned the glare, before lifting an eyebrow at the plate in front of Arthur, "And here I was wondering what the smell of burnt charcoal was doing in this house. Should have known."

"Hilarious." Arthur scowled, "Excuse me for making an attempt at something." He turned back to the plate, letting out an angry huff.

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed Allistor had paused and was giving him a funny look. _'Well now what?!'_ Choosing to continue eating instead of humoring whatever thought that might have crossed his brother's mind, Arthur started munching on the burnt toast again. He'd eat the eggs, but he was pretty sure they were beyond even the 'over hard' stage.

Apparently something he had said made Allistor go into a really foul mood, because a bowl was set down with enough force to shake the table (and really, Arthur was surprised the thing didn't break).

Allistor didn't say anything, however, and just poured himself a bowl of cereal after putting the milk jug on the table (table didn't shake as much this time, he's definitely lucky the jug didn't break).

'_What the hell did I say now?'_ Arthur found a random spot on the wall to stare at, replaying the conversation in his head. Maybe Allistor was just ticked off at the over-sleeping comment…

"It's too damn early for school…" Peter dragged his feet into the kitchen, wandering past them with eyes still closed. At least he was dressed, but his hair certainly wasn't brushed.

"You could have stayed in bed for a little while longer." Arthur commented, "You still have time."

"I need food though. My stomach woke me up." Peter disappeared around the corner and there was the distinct sound of dishes being clanked together for a minute, "…Crap. I'm out of cereal."

"Sorry. Just had the last of mine." Allistor shook the box to show it was empty, "Take a bowl of Reilly's."

Oh like that was going to go over well. Arthur winced inwardly remembering the last time someone had made that mistake, "Maybe you should just make toast instead."

"Oh relax. I'll pick another box up before I come back home." Allistor rolled his eyes, "He won't even be up before noon anyway."

"Then I'll just have his." Peter came back to the table and dumped out the rest of the box into the empty bowl in front of him, "What he won't know won't hurt anybody~"

Arthur paused before taking a bite. Right. And Reilly was just not going to notice that his cereal box magically refilled and resealed itself? This was going to be a long day already, and the sun hadn't even finished rising yet.

"See you both later." Allistor stood up, throwing his dishes in the sink as he went by, "Good luck with that assembly, whatever it's about."

"Good luck with your interview." Arthur retorted.

"Gee thanks." Allistor scowled at him before slamming the front door shut.

"What got into him this morning? He's in a really bad mood!" Peter exclaimed the instant the door was shut.

"Apparently I said something I shouldn't have." Arthur frowned, "Though I have no clue what I said. What's the point of speaking out again if I keep ticking other people off?"

Peter made a face, "So mum and dad don't go off having a hissy fit again when the school calls."

"Is that regarding the car that hit me or the fake suicide?" Arthur glared at Peter, "Either way, hush it."

"It was both!" Peter took another bite of cereal before freezing, "…"

"What?" Arthur tilted his head.

Peter's eyes remained locked on something behind Arthur, with a sheepish look slowly passing over his face.

Arthur tilted his head back and looked upwards to see Reilly standing at the bottom of the stairwell, "…You're up early."

"The smell of charcoal is not a pleasant one to wake up to. I was making sure there wasn't a fire in the kitchen." Reilly commented flatly.

"No there's no bloody fire. The alarm would have gone off by now if there was one." Arthur stood up and dumped the paper plate into the trashcan, not bothering to even glance at his older brother before stalking to where the sink was.

Reilly wandered across the room to stand beside Arthur, pulling open the cupboard above the sink, "…? I thought I had cereal left still?"

Arthur saw Peter slowly take the box off the table and hide it on his lap. _'I knew that was a bad idea.'_ "Are you certain? I didn't see it in there when I was looking for food this morning."

"I could have sworn I had some." Reilly scowled at the half-empty cupboard, "What the hell am I supposed to have then?"

"You could always cook something." Arthur passed by him, "I'd offer but I might burn down the house without managing to set off any smoke alarms."

Peter jumped in his chair when the cupboard slammed shut, "Geez! Is everyone in a bad mood this morning?!"

"I _was_ in a fine mood." Reilly snapped, stalking by both of them to return upstairs.

"Must be the way I'm saying things." Arthur tilted his head.

Peter scurried to the trashcan and hastily buried the empty box underneath the plate Arthur had just put in it, "That was way too close! Let's get out of here before he comes back! We can take our time walking to school!"

"At least brush your hair first." Arthur sighed, but yanked his coat out of the closet.

"It's fine the way it is!" Peter ran both hands through his blonde hair before grabbing his own coat, "Come on! Before he comes stomping back down and realizes I ate it! I don't wanna get hit!"

"Just tell him Allistor said he'll replace it." Arthur kicked open the front door, "Not that big of a deal. Why he gets territorial over a box of cereal I will never know."

"Oh and then we get to listen to those two fighting the rest of the day! That's a brilliant idea!" Peter responded with a hint of obvious sarcasm.

'_Definitely must be me. I seem to be putting everyone in a bad mood without even trying.'_ Arthur tilted his head as they were walking. Still couldn't figure out what he had said to make both Allistor and Reilly mad though.

"So are we even gonna have lunch together or what?" Peter pulled out the folded class schedule from his coat pocket and frowned at the list that was typed on it.

"Oh…I don't know. I hadn't even checked when my lunch is."Arthur blinked and glanced over Peter's schedule for a minute, "…They really did change some classes around this year."

"Did they? What do I have that you didn't?" Peter made a face, "Crap. That means I can't ask for help on anything!"

"Well I certainly didn't have Behavior Etiquette in ninth grade!" Arthur snapped, "What the hell kind of class is that anyway?!"

"They must be trying to avoid stunts from happening like that assault on the school board we heard about." Peter commented, not looking up from the paper.

Arthur gritted his teeth and kept walking, not bothering to talk anymore about the schedule that Peter was holding. Good luck to him and whatever classes he was stuck with, but if that's the comment he wanted to make on being in that class, then he could deal with silence the rest of the way to school!

"Good morning."

Arthur blinked and turned his head to see Roderich walking towards them, "Oh hello."

Roderich let out a resigned sigh and walked alongside Arthur as they made their way down the sidewalk, "Another school year…"

"It's the last one for us at least." Arthur commented, "I don't think I could take another year of this crap anyway."

Roderich glanced at him, "As long as we don't have the same teachers as last year, it should be fine, right?"

"…" Arthur tilted his head slightly, "…Sure. The teachers didn't bother me all that much though."

"They were certainly annoying me." Roderich shook his head, "I will personally be very glad if many of them are not here at all this year."

Arthur's thoughts briefly went to Miss Summers and her Home Education class from the year before, "Some of the teachers weren't all that bad. They were actually better than years prior I thought."

"Depends on which teacher you're referring to." Roderich leaned forward to glance at Peter, "And you're starting at high school this year?"

"Yeah but these classes are crap. What is with this?" Peter waved the schedule around, "Some of these don't even sound like normal subjects to have!"

"Oh stop complaining." Arthur rolled his eyes, "I'm sure the classes will be fine."

.

.

* * *

Arthur stepped into the auditorium and squinted at the crowds. It was impossible to tell who was who when you were looking at a row of heads from the back, "…See anyone we know?"

"I'm not even going to bother trying with this group." Roderich huffed and headed for a back row seat, "Besides, it will be entirely too loud towards the front, at least near the back you're not surrounded by idiots talking."

Arthur shrugged and followed along behind, seating to the right of Roderich. Peter sat in the empty seat next to Arthur, kicking his legs back and forth, "When will this be starting anyway?"

"Whenever the principal decides to start it." Arthur responded flatly, "Just be patient."

Roderich leaned back in his seat, glancing idly about the room while they waited, "I wonder if Gilbert will actually be able to drag himself out of bed this morning. He was texting me until late last night complaining."

"About what?" Arthur looked at him in confusion.

"Apparently his father dragged him out of the house to eat somewhere else." Roderich just shook his head, "The restaurant was far from a sane place to dine."

Arthur raised both eyebrows, "Where on earth were they eating at?"

"I just know the name Gilbert told me, I sincerely doubt it's the real name." Roderich's eyes strayed to a group of people walking past them.

"I don't even see anybody I know yet!" Peter complained, leaning back and forth to see around the much taller heads that were blocking the aisle.

"So walk around and see if you can find someone!" Arthur snapped, "I doubt you're going to find anyone just sitting here complaining for the entire time!"

Roderich patted Arthur's shoulder sympathetically, "Deep breaths."

"Can I have your attention please? I would like to start this assembly in five minutes! Please find a seat and sit there, so we can get this over with!"

Arthur sat up a little straighter and watched as their principal walked away from the microphone, "Can't he just start it now and get it over with?"

Roderich nodded in silent agreement.

"There's still people coming in? I thought we were all supposed to be here by now!" Peter exclaimed, glancing back over towards the doors (again).

"That's _why_ he says to be here at a certain time. So he can actually start when he wants to." Arthur made a face, "It's logic you get used to after a while."

"And it's also logic that we will no doubt be listening to complains about for the entire day." Roderich straightened up and craned his neck to see further down, "I believe I see someone with silver hair next to a taller person with blonde hair. But they're too far down to see who it is."

"Well with that description I'm relatively certain we know _exactly_ who it is. Besides, how many albinos do we have at this school? Like three maybe?" Arthur tilted his head, "And only one that I know of hangs out with a blonde who's taller than he is."

"I don't think Gilbert would appreciate hearing us say that though." Roderich smiled a bit.

"Just because someone is younger, doesn't mean they can't be taller. Look at Ardrich. He's the shortest of them all!" Arthur waved a hand down towards Ludwig and Gilbert, "Course, I don't see him down there either."

"Maybe he shrank." Peter suggested.

Arthur and Roderich burst out laughing at the comment.

"Can you imagine the look on his face if someone told him he was getting shorter instead of getting taller like he said he would?" Roderich put a hand over his mouth to muffle the laughter.

"I think he would actually kill someone." Arthur nodded, also trying to keep the noise down to not disrupt the students sitting around them.

"Great. Some excitement at this school. Allistor and Reilly will be sad they missed it!" Peter grinned and proceeded to start swinging his legs back and forth again.

"I wonder what the title of a film like that would be…" Roderich tilted his head.

"The shrinking murderer?" Arthur suggested. His eyes met with Roderich's for a moment and they both burst out laughing again.

"Can the police catch him before he shrinks out of existence?" Roderich chuckled.

"We should stop. If he hears us, we're going to be his first victims." Arthur clutched at his sides from laughing so hard.

"Okay, if I may have your attention now!"

"Oh just in time!" Roderich wiped the tears away from his eyes and focused on the stage, "Now to keep a straight face during this."

"Careful. It's dark. He might sneak up on us from behind." Peter whispered.

Arthur quickly clapped a hand over his mouth and Peter's as the laughing took over again.

"Hush you two!" Roderich hissed.

"Last year we had a few incidents that needed to be addressed to make sure that they don't happen again in the future!"

"Like the school almost burning to the ground?" Arthur blinked.

"I think the remedial cooking classes cover that already." Roderich sighed.

"Now as some of you may know, we had an issue with our gym teacher last year."

Arthur and Roderich exchanged glances again.

"And we know this all too well." Roderich leaned on the armrest with another sigh.

"It's kind of hard to ignore the status updates that say 'running for our lives'." Arthur leaned in the opposite direction.

Peter burst into a giggle fit, "Can I get those status updates now too?"

"You'd have to add their numbers into your phone." Arthur shook his head, "And you'd have to ask them for permission."

"As long as he doesn't go insulting anyone, I see no problem with it." Roderich shrugged.

"He is no longer teaching here, and there have been other staff changes as well. I'm sure you'll know our new teachers when you see them."

"…Faces we don't recognize?" Arthur asked in confusion.

"Well that doesn't help the new students this year!" Roderich huffed.

"However! There were some isolated incidents that did not involve a teacher…technically. The student who hijacked our intercom has been foiled in any further attempts to do so, as that door is now securely locked!"

"I'm sure Matthew was not going to attempt that again." Arthur stared blankly at the stage.

"I wish I had been there for that almost. I wonder what he said, they never did tell us." Roderich tilted his head.

"Any attempt by any student to start a food fight, regardless of the food being edible or not ("Not." Arthur whispered while Roderich nodded in agreement), will be dealt with in the office. I am not having a repeat of last year's fight causing several students to go to the hospital!"

"But…the fight occurred after the food fight. And I don't think it was related to it at all." Roderich made a face, "He should at least get his facts straight."

"He's probably blaming it on the food fight to make the assembly shorter in length." Arthur glanced at Peter, "No comments?"

"None so far." Peter sat with his head tilted slightly (at least he looked like he was paying attention).

"If any student is to be found skipping class, do yourself a favor and just head to the office with whoever found you, and don't be like this student."

"Oh a video!" Peter cheered, "Wha? Someone ran away from the principal?"

"…" Roderich watched Matthew on the screen, "Mhm."

"That has got to hurt." Arthur winced as Matthew went over the railing.

"He did a fine job of water skating though." Roderich commented quietly.

"I assure you. He survived the landing." Mr. Smith shook his head, "While skipping class entirely is worse…any student found on their _cell phone in class_ will also be in trouble. This goes for guidance counselors and teachers as well!"

"Poor Roma. Just can't catch a break." Roderich shook his head in mock sympathy.

"He really is a bad influence on us." Arthur agreed.

"If, for whatever reason, you do decide to skip class, don't go out the doors and get hit by a car."

Arthur's face turned bright red. Roderich leaned over and patted him on the shoulder sympathetically, "There there."

"Hey, you were mentioned in the assembly!" Peter laughed, "That's awesome, Allistor and Reilly will-"

"NOT HEAR ABOUT IT." Arthur glared at the blonde sitting next to him, "Not if you value your life to any degree!"

"I am not making those phone calls again. Telling a parent their child was hit by a car is bad enough without having to explain that the student was also skipping class at the time. And just because your teacher tells you to leave if you don't want to be there, it is not a justified reason for skipping school in the first place!"

"Well then he shouldn't have said it." Arthur grumbled.

"I am in full agreement with you." Roderich nodded, and continued consoling him by patting him on the shoulder.

"Those things now having been said…threatening, bullying, excessive cursing, and placing a curse on someone is not tolerated."

"That you can tell Allistor and Reilly." Arthur elbowed Peter, "They would laugh at that one."

"Okay!" Peter grinned.

"They certainly would." Roderich raised an eyebrow.

"That last one shouldn't be an issue since the main offenders graduated last year (Arthur and Peter both burst out laughing). However, their siblings that still attend this school are kindly requested to refrain from following in their footsteps."

"No curses." Roderich shook a finger at Arthur and Peter, "From either one of you."

"No promises." Arthur smiled cheerfully.

"I can't curse people!" Peter pouted.

"I think that covers just about…oh. Also, as most of you have no doubt experienced, hormones are quite commonly running rampant in your age groups. Please keep the public displays of affection to handholding only."

"…I think that could have gone without being said." Roderich looked offended.

"Really." Arthur looked at the principal in horror.

"Public displays of affection…" Peter repeated slowly.

"That should cover everything now. I invite anyone with questions or comments to come to the office if need be. As long as it's not to complain about a teacher within five minutes of going into their classroom. That goes for the student with sass issues."

Arthur and Roderich both burst out laughing, knowing full well who the principal was referring to.

.

.

* * *

Doooooooooooooooone.


	4. Enough on the phones already!

Okay. I am so sorry for the lateness and the shortness. This actually has been done for some time now and I just never typed them up. Sorry! Sims is distracting. D: Oh god. And reading over this, I don't even know what I meant. What the hell is this. T_T

* * *

.

.

Arthur flipped idly through his textbook while the teacher kept talking about what she expected of them. So far it seemed to be the same routine speech they got every year. Definitely seemed worse this time though, of course that could be blamed on the fact that his phone kept _going off!_

_What the bloody hell is so damned important that they can't wait until later to chat?! _Arthur gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to send scathing messages to each person that was making his phone go off.

"For those of you who may have a slight health issue, perhaps a weak immune system, or even if you're prone to depression…"

Arthur's eyes narrowed. _Wait. Did she just look at me when she said that?_

"I understand if your daily attendance may not be perfect. As long as it's something to a more serious nature, and not just a didn't-feel-like-going-to-school, we can work out something with your homework. If you are having problems with depression to the point of…missing school, family members may contact me to get work sent home."

_What are you trying to imply?_ Arthur glared daggers at his teacher, but she seemed immune to the scowl on his face.

"In these scenarios, I would like each of you to have a homework buddy. This person can be a classmate or a relative, or even one of your closest friends. So long as you have someone who could pick up your classwork for you, should you miss school for an extended period of time."

Arthur looked at the paper he was given with an expression of horror, "Would we be allowed to use a relative who graduated last year?" Seeing as how Peter was notorious for forgetting, and if by some miniscule chance something _did_ happen with his depression, he wouldn't want Alfred or somebody else bring his homework to him anyway.

"Alumni are fine as well~"

Arthur looked down at the blank box. Best to put Allistor's contact information down. He was (usually) in a better mood than Reilly. After scribbling Allistor's name and cell number, Arthur handed the paper back to the student in front of him to be passed to the front of the room.

"Now that those are filled out, I would like each of you to write your names in the cover of your textbook! We would not want someone to lose their book and have no way of returning it~"

Arthur looked blankly at the block for his name in the front cover. Apparently the Loch Ness monster was attempting to further its education judging by the most recent entry. Letting out a soft sigh, Arthur hovered his pen over the next empty block. It seemed only a few people had written their actual names (unless some parent really did name their kid Sherlock Holmes). Might as well keep the tradition going.

**Name: **_Nessie Jr._ **Year:** _Whichever it is now_

Arthur closed his textbook and waited for the teacher to continue speaking. If a teacher did end up finding this book, it would be well worth it to hear them call for the owner to come retrieve it. _I might have to lose it on purpose just for that!_

.

.

* * *

Alfred glanced around the room in which he had Study Hall. Odd. The teacher had called Matthew's name during role call, but only silence had answered. Now Alfred was worried. He hadn't seen his brother at all on the way to school, nor had he seen him in the auditorium during the assembly. On top of those two, now Matthew wasn't in class?

Alfred held his phone out under his desk and quickly sent out a group message, hoping someone would respond to it (despite everyone else being in class).

**Alfred: Uh guys we got a missing person over here!**

**Roderich: That was fast.**

**Feliciano: D: Who is it?**

**Alfred: Matthew T_T He's not in class!**

**Roderich: Did he leave before you?**

**Alfred: Yeah, but I never saw him on the way to school…**

**Feliciano: D: Oh no! That's really bad!**

**Roderich: Maybe you should go tell the principal…**

**Alfred: T_T Did anyone see him in the assembly?**

**Roderich: I was with Arthur and Peter. No sign of him.**

**Feliciano: I was with Ludwig and Gilbert. No Matthew…**

**Alfred: I got stuck with Cruz…**

**Gilbert: Yo since my teacher is done talking now, he actually just called role. :/ Antonio's missing too**

**Feliciano: O_O Uh-oh**

**Roderich: I haven't seen him either**

**Alfred: Are they skipping? Gah! I'm really worried!**

**Roderich: Go tell the principal!**

**Gilbert: Ja. If you know he left for school, something might've happened! D:**

**Feliciano: Anyone with Lovi or Cruz now? We can ask them about Antonio!**

**Gilbert: Not me**

**Alfred: Not me**

**Roderich: I'm obviously not.**

**Feliciano: We should ask as soon as we see them…**

**Alfred: Yeah, In the meantime, I'm heading for the office.**

Alfred apologized hastily to the teacher, "I just have a question about my schedule~"

"Oh! Alright, that's fine. Go ahead." He was waved out of the room without any further questions and Alfred wasted no time in bolting down the hallway.

Scurrying on his way, Alfred peeked through the doors he was passing, "Of course, even if I did see one of them, I can't just interrupt class." Alfred sighed, "Unless I can come up with a convincing lie. HA!"

As it was, Alfred didn't see either of the two before he reached the office. Grinning at the secretary (same one as last year), "Can I see the principal?"

"Regarding?" Miss Kia peered up at him over his glasses.

"An emergency? Possibly." Alfred looked at her hesitantly. Maybe he should have just said he had an issue with his teacher.

After giving him a skeptical look, the secretary stood up and rapped her fist on the closed door behind her, "Alfred Jones to see you."

_'Is it a bad thing she knows my first and last name without my telling her…'_ Alfred waited for a moment before he was motioned to go in.

"Please tell me this isn't about your teacher." Mr. Smith looked at him briefly.

"It's not, honest. It's, uh, about Matthew actually. He's supposed to be in my class, but he's not there and he left the house before me, but I haven't seen him since…" Alfred stumbled over his words, most of them coming out really fast.

"You're telling me your brother is missing?" Mr. Smith stared at him. Was that the only part of Alfred's sentence he had understood?

"Uh yeah. And Antonio apparently isn't in class either, but I'm not sure if he left his house, I didn't ask Cruz earlier because I didn't know it at that point…" Alfred rubbed the back of his head uncertainly.

Mr. Smith turned to his computer monitor for a second, typing away on the keyboard. After a minute or two, he reached for the phone and hit several numbers while Alfred bounced back and forth on his heels in worry.

"Mrs. Starr, could you put Cruz Martinez on the phone? I apologize."

_Oh god._ Alfred glanced around the room nervously. Well it really was the only way to know.

"Cruz? Did your cousin leave the house this morning?"

Alfred heard a pause before the voice responded again. He couldn't make out what was being said, but the expression on the face at this end was more than enough of an answer.

"He did. Do you have any idea as to why he would not be in class?"

Alfred's shoulders slumped. _They're both gone…_

"I see. Well thank you, I will be notifying authorities then of his absence. I'll let you know once I hear something." Mr. Smith hung up the phone with a soft click.

.

.

* * *

**Alfred: OH man.**

**Roderich: What did he say?**

**Gilbert: Ja, what?**

**Alfred: Uh Antonio is also missing, he called Cruz during class**

**Gilbert: Crap D:**

**Roderich: What is he going to do?**

**Alfred: …He called the police… v_v**

**Gilbert: OH gott.**

**Roderich: Well I hope they find them safely**

**Feliciano: That's awful though! Why wouldn't they come to school?**

**Alfred: T_T Where's mattie…**

**Roderich: Sorry…no clue what to say**

**Feliciano: Neither do I D:**

**Gilbert: Police are good at finding people! Chin up!**

**Alfred: Right. But now I'M depressed.**

**Gilbert: D:**

**Roderich: They'll find them. They'll check the route from school to your house first no doubt.**

**Feliciano: I bet we hear about it by lunch!**

**Alfred: Yeah… T_T**

.

.

* * *

Okay, moving right along. =w= Sorry again!


	5. Well they're here at least

Nothing really of note to say here…

* * *

.

.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief as he moved through the hall. At least his phone had finally gone silent (ironic now that they weren't in class). He glanced at room numbers as he made his way through the usual traffic jam of people, ignoring the faces of the people moving by him.

No sign of anyone he really talked to so far. He was half-debating whether or not to send a message to Peter, just to see how things were going, but a familiar voice behind him halted the thought process.

"Morning." Ludwig caught up to him.

"Oh hello." Arthur returned the greeting, a little surprised. The two had hardly talked at all that he could remember, but apparently he rated a hello in the hallway, "How are you?"

Ludwig shook his head, "I _was_ fine, but that stupid first class…"

Arthur tilted his head in confusion, "What class did you…oh! By the way, were you part of whatever phone conversation was going on all during that time?"

"No." Ludwig looked at him startled, "I didn't even hear mine. Though now that I think about it, I heard Ardrich's a couple times."

"Mine kept going off repeatedly. It made it rather annoying, especially since I couldn't answer without the teacher noticing. Did you forget to turn yours on?" Arthur looked at him in amusement.

"Maybe. Probably a good thing that I did though." Ludwig made a face.

"Oh here it is." Arthur paused in front of the door to a classroom, "Third bell."

"You have psychology too?" Ludwig looked at him in surprise.

Arthur blinked and nodded, following Ludwig into the room. Well. At least somebody he knew was in this class. Guess that meant he and Ludwig would be talking a little more often than they had in the past now.

.

.

* * *

Alfred jumped up and down excitedly while waiting outside with the rest of the class. They were actually playing something on the first day of school, and he was ready for it! Something to get his blood flowing so he wouldn't be so cold preferably.

"I'm still missing a few…" The teacher, who had introduced himself as Mr. Ross, glanced up from his clipboard.

"It's not like the gym changed locations." Alfred huffed, glancing around the school grounds.

A few stragglers showed up just as the bell rang, but the last one to show up (several minutes _after_ the bell) was none other than Cruz. Terrific.

"Oh great. I got a class with _you_." Cruz scowled at the blonde before Alfred could even say anything.

"Yeah, and way to be late." Alfred retorted.

"Shut it! I was talking to…somebody." Cruz glanced away without saying the name.

Alfred tilted his head in confusion. It couldn't have been Matthew, since he still hadn't heard anything on the phone, or from the principal. So who the heck was it?

"Okay, class! Since we have a slightly shortened time today, let's do a quick little game of capture the flag! Tie these bands on…"

"No pulling mine off. We're on the same team." Alfred shot a glare at Cruz as he took a yellow band.

"I'd be more concerned about getting tripped on purpose if I were you." Cruz glared in return.

"The team with the most bands of the other color wins!" Mr. Ross called.

"We could make a partnership here!" Alfred grinned, "Just watch each other's backs!"

"Once your band is pulled, you can only steal your own color back!"

"Well this sounds like fun." Cruz said with obvious sarcasm.

"We can do this!" Alfred cheered, pumping his fist into the air.

Mr. Ross took a band from the almost-empty box and tied it around his arm, "Okay, I'll be on the blue team since they're one person short. Let's go!"

"Aim for the teacher." Cruz smirked, "Right behind you."

"Okay!" Alfred charged forward.

They ran back and forth for a bit, with Cruz cursing at Alfred for continually losing his cloth band, "I'm going to tie that thing around your neck!"

"Dude!" Alfred gaped at him, yanking a yellow sash from someone going by.

Cruz paused by the teacher, noticing he was standing still despite still wearing his blue sash, "What?"

"Please tell me that is not a student on the roof."

Cruz blinked and looked upwards. Of course it was, "Yeah it is."

"Hey! Get down from there!" Mr. Ross yelled.

_Like hell the person can hear you._ Cruz thought, looking at the teacher in disbelief.

Alfred, along with a few others, paused and looked upwards. But as the rest of the class stopped and glanced up to see what had gotten the attention of their classmates, Alfred saw a huge opportunity. He dashed around, nimbly stealing sashes from the opposing team with a huge grin.

Cruz glared, recognizing the person on the edge of the room, even with the distance in between them. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and typed in a message to the chatroom, glaring upwards once more once it was sent.

Alfred continued to grin, glancing upwards now and then to see if anything had changed. Nothing yet. And this idea was perfect so far! He stole the last one (well, almost last, the teacher had the last one) and ducked behind some of his own teammates, now looking towards the roof. He could see Cruz texting someone, must have had the number of whoever it…oh. It was Lovino.

Joining Cruz in texting to the Italian, it seemed Roderich and Gilbert had nothing else to do.

**Alfred: Dude! D: Get off the roof!**

**Roderich: Please tell me we don't know the person.**

**Roma: Please tell me you all have study hall.**

Alfred looked towards Cruz and saw he was angrily trying to motion to Lovino to move, but the other male wasn't even watching. Rather it looked like Lovino was ignoring them on purpose.

**Roderich: Well YOU made this one a study hall!**

**Gilbert: I'm in one…**

**Cruz: In ******* gym**

**Alfred: Same here**

**Roma: Oh great. So who's on the roof?**

**Lovino: Me. -_- Can I not get fresh air?**

Alfred made a face. Okay there _had_ to be a better way if all he was doing was getting fresh air. It's a good thing their teacher wasn't some older guy, otherwise he would have had a heart attack.

**Cruz: You're on the wrong side of the **** railing!**

**Roma: O_O Loviii! Get doowwwwn!**

**Alfred: Get fresh air in the middle of the roof!**

**Lovino: It's more fun where I can see people waving their arms and yelling words I can't understand.**

**Gilbert: XD**

**Cruz: You seriously have five ******* minutes**

**Roderich: Good. Go up there.**

**Lovino: Chill. I'm moving.**

Alfred watched Lovino stand up, which of course made Mr. Ross panic even more. But Lovino just climbed back over the railing and vanished from their sight.

"This job should not be so stressful." Mr. Ross heaved a huge sigh.

"Moron." Cruz scowled upwards.

Alfred looked around and grinned as students started looking around, realizing their bands had all been stolen.

Cruz looked behind him, realizing who the culprit was, and leaned over to yank the teacher's band off, "So game's on again?"

Mr. Ross chased after Cruz, circling around the group of students, "That was not fair!"

"Says who?" Cruz retorted, "Sore loser!"

Alfred sprinted away from the number of people chasing him, still watching messages zip by on his phone.

"Give me some!"

"Oh sure, here!" Alfred handed off a handful to a teammate and continued running, thankful that some of the opposing teammates charged after the other guy instead.

"So all we have to do is play keep away now?" Alfred called, "You guys could just admit defeat!"

"Really." Cruz ran past him, "Especially this guy."

Alfred grinned, "Déjà vu!"

"Majorly. Just like old times!" Cruz agreed.

"When did you get chased by a teacher?" Mr. Ross asked, still sprinting after Cruz.

"Our gym teacher last year!" Cruz grinned.

"You played this game last year, too?"

"Hell no. I was giving him attitude. Chased us the whole way to the office." Cruz gave him an are-you-kidding-me look.

"Please tell me you're joking." Mr. Ross said flatly.

"When the hell have I ever made a joke?!" Cruz turned his head in time to see Alfred fall flat on his face and rolled his eyes, "Smooth one, Jones!"

"Oh shut it!" Alfred yanked back the sash that had been taken before it could even be tied on and ran off, "Bye~"

"Seriously! Just give up!" Cruz snapped, "No one on your team even _has_ a colored band!"

"We have time to reclaim them!" Mr. Ross declared.

"You keep telling yourself that." Cruz just rolled his eyes, "You could save us both some trouble here."

"When is the bell going to ring?"Alfred darted by, still being chased by a number of people despite handing off several bands to his teammates.

"No clue. Not soon enough. Not even going to feel my legs after this." Cruz glanced down at his phone at the update that just appeared.

**Matthew: I hate you all.**

**Antonio: Yeah. T_T Thanks. A lot.**

"Oh that's hilarious. Hey Jones, your brother posted something." Cruz called.

"Did he?" Alfred pulled out his phone and looked at it, "…Oh that's polite."

**Alfred: :I I'm not apologizing. You guys scared me.**

**Cruz: Really. Where the **** have you two been?!**

Cruz dodged the teacher's lunge, ending with Mr. Ross face-down in the dirt, "Nice try."

"I'm worn out." Mr. Ross rolled over with a gasp.

"Oh good. I win." Cruz walked away from him and leaned against the side of the building. He noticed neither of them had gotten a response. Apparently the other two were sulking.

"Bell! We won!" Alfred yanked the bands off his arm and threw them in the box, "Later~!"

"Finally." Cruz pulled his off and dropped the two colors on top of the gym teacher, "Here you go."

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=w= and the updates are done~


	6. Damn it Alfred

So this one is going to be extremely short… I'm still debating whether or not to add someone else's POV on this chapter, so it may or may not appear. I'll make up for the shortness of this chapter in a later one. Promise!

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Arthur finally looked at his phone, only to see the messages that Matthew and Antonio had posted. "I definitely missed something." He raised an eyebrow before scrolling down to see another message, this time it was from Peter. …And only to complain about the classes he was in were boring. Well what did he expect on the first day? A bloody field trip?

Arthur rolled his eyes and shoved the phone back in his pocket. Classes were always dull on the first day. If his brother had the same luck he did, it would likely remain so for the rest of his entire high school life. Hopefully Peter had better luck however. He didn't want everything to be the same. Unfortunately, last class had been no exception to the 'dull' rule, as Ludwig was on the opposite side of the room. _So much for talking more._ And if that wasn't annoying already, they had gotten the largest textbook that Arthur had ever seen in his life.

"Dude hey!"

"Well that was a polite greeting." Arthur said sarcastically, glaring at Alfred, "You're lucky I even responded."

Alfred only grinned, "It got your attention!"

"Congratulations on that." Arthur said flatly, "I hope you had no intentions of keeping it."

"Heeeey! We can talk since we're going the same way!" Alfred pouted for a moment before stepping in time with Arthur to match the shorter male's pace (something which annoyed Arthur to no end), "Don't be such a mood-killer!"

"I thought Matthew's comment would have killed your good mood already. What was that about anyway?" Arthur glanced at Alfred. Why did he have to be so damn tall, and it was like he kept rubbing it in!

"Oh, he and Antonio were skipping. Didn't you read the messages in the chatroom?" Alfred met his gaze with one of confusion.

"No. I was a little busy paying attention to my teachers." Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly, "And if I hear one comment about needing more fun in my life…"

That got another grin out of Alfred, "How about one that says you need to live a little? Teachers always say the same thing on the first day! But yeah, it's way too long to summarize. And Mattie hasn't responded to my message yet anyway."

"What?" Arthur stopped momentarily, "Matthew and Antonio were the last ones to post." _Aside from Peter, but I don't think Alfred has his number._

"Me and Cruz both responded." Alfred also stopped and returned the blank look.

Arthur pulled out his phone once more and showed the display to Alfred, "Then you tell me where the comment is."

"Oh man! Our posts must not have gone through!" Alfred took out his phone and re-posted his comment from earlier, "How dumb is that! You'd think since we were outside it would have worked!"

Arthur just shook his head and pocketed the phone again, "What class are you headed to anyway?"

"Hm? Life Prep. No clue what that class is gonna be about. What do you learn in a subject like that?" Alfred tilted his head.

"…I got stuck with you now? Oh great." Arthur made a face.

"I'm with Arthur! Yay!" Alfred grinned, "That means we can walk together every day~"

Arthur's face turned bright red, "Whatever! I have to deal with your entirely too-damn-happy attitude every day then!"

"Then I can cheer you up when you're being a grump!" Alfred burst out laughing, "Like you are now."

Arthur glared daggers at the taller blonde, but didn't give him the satisfaction of a retort. He just stalked away further down the hall.

"Heeeeey!" Alfred chased after him, "Arthurrrrrrr~ Cheer up!"

"First I have Allistor and Reilly with their weird moods this morning, and now I have to deal with you!" Arthur snapped, "How could I possibly cheer up from this?!"

"What was wrong with Allistor and Reilly?" Alfred walked beside him once more, looking at him with an expression of worry on his face, "Were they mad about something?"

"I haven't the faintest idea what was wrong. They got mad at me for something and I have no clue what I said." Arthur scowled in response.

"Well what'd you say? Maybe I can help!" Alfred elbowed him in the side.

Arthur shoved Alfred's hand away, still scowling, "What, you're playing detective now? I don't even remember what I said, or what they said to prompt it. Just forget it." He looked away, trying to remember the classroom number he had been heading for.

Alfred pouted after Arthur turned away and gave him a giant hug from behind, "Cheer up!"

"GET OFF ME!" Arthur yelled, "You're going to make us both late!"

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Even after adding stuff it's still short. Hmmm… I promise I'll write a longer one!


	7. Project for Change AKA Peter's an Idiot

While I did do some edits here and there in all the Adding Harmony fanfics, I don't think anything major changed in British Style.

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Arthur stood in the cafeteria line beside Peter, who had somehow made his way through the crowd (and probably annoyed anyone on his way due to line-cutting) to stand next to his older brother. "So how are your classes so far?" Arthur asked, attempting to make some point at conversation while they were stuck waiting for goodness-knows-how-long.

"Boring!" Peter complained, "Something exciting better happen later or I'm going to be falling asleep!"

Arthur smiled slightly, "First day always is monotonous. All the teachers reciting the same classroom rules and handing you a pile of textbooks."

"Begging for me not to be like the brothers that came before…" Peter added.

"Allistor and Reilly I can understand, but what did I do?" Arthur looked at him in shock.

"Well I don't know! She didn't tell me!" Peter made a face, serving only to make him look even more childish in Arthur's opinion.

Arthur shook his head in exasperation, "What teacher was it then?"

"Oh I don't know. I'd have to look at my class schedule. I don't have their names memorized." Peter followed behind Arthur as they finally made their way up to the front of the line and grabbed a tray, "How can you drink that?" He made a disgusted expression as Arthur took a bottle of tea from the cooler and made his exit.

"Easily." Arthur half-glared at Peter before glancing around the cafeteria. He could see Gilbert and Roderich in the corner of the room, but wasn't quite sure if they (mostly Gilbert) would tolerate Peter's talkative-ness so he moved towards a close-by empty table instead. Foul moods belonging to a certain albino were definitely best avoided.

Peter sat down across from him, beginning to talk non-stop (definitely a wise decision to not sit over there), complaining mostly of the classes he had so far.

Arthur was only half-paying attention to what Peter was saying. He couldn't even keep up with the rapid speech, much less get a word in edge-wise (not that he really had anything to add or comment on). _Might as well just let him get the talking out of his system. _Arthur continued to eat in slow bites, not even noticing that someone had appeared beside them until the male had spoken up.

"Morning…"

Arthur glanced up in surprise, spoon still in his mouth, at Antonio, "Hello!"

Antonio plopped down in the vacant seat beside Arthur, "This is just one crappy day already."

"Bad classes this morning?"

Peter started stuffing his mouth full, and stayed silent while Arthur and Antonio were talking (for which Arthur was grateful).

"I have no idea." Antonio responded, pushing the food around his plate, "Only went to the last one, and that was only for ten minutes, if that!"

"What on earth happened?" Arthur looked at him in shock.

"Cruz wouldn't stop talking." Antonio said quietly.

_I'm assuming that's the shortened version._ Arthur tilted his head slightly, "…Did you two have a fight?"

"Certainly had something. A loud disagreement." Antonio sighed and pushed the tray away.

Arthur looked at him questioningly, "Perhaps someone can talk to Cruz for you? Maybe it wasn't even something you did, he's taken his temper out on people before." Arthur would no doubt be getting hit right now if Antonio's cousin was hearing this.

"It was something I did." Antonio said flatly, "I guess the only way to describe it is that I had a… argument or something with Lovino this morning. I ended up skipping the first two classes and I guess Cruz had a class with Lovino because he was saying Lovino was upset earlier…"

_That must have been the conversation that everyone was having on the phone._ Arthur sipped his tea, continuing to listen to Antonio. He should have just read the conversation and saved Antonio the trouble of having to explain some ( or rather, all) of it.

"Maybe Lovino and I should just call it quits."

Arthur promptly started choking and set the bottle back down, "What?"

"If we're not getting along, what's the point?" Antonio spun his phone that he had taken out on the table.

Arthur stared at him in disbelief, "Won't you regret it later?"

Antonio shrugged, "Maybe. Probably. Undoubtedly. But if we decide to give 'us' another try, we can. Better to break off now then get to the point of no apologies…"

Arthur couldn't think of anything to say and just clamped his jaw shut, looking down at his own tray rather than at Antonio or Peter (who amazingly just sat in silence this entire time, but was now staring at both of them with a strange expression on his face).

Desperate to change the subject, while Antonio was typing away on his phone, Arthur glanced at Peter, "What is the principal doing talking to your classmates anyway?" He motioned to a group of three that Mr. Smith had pulled aside to a corner of the cafeteria.

"Hm?" Peter glanced over his shoulder, "Oh. He's been pulling some of us aside to ask if we want extra credit."

"In exchange for what?" Antonio glanced up briefly from his phone, looking over to the corner where the small huddle was.

"Some weird project. I signed up for it. Might as well since my classes are boring." Peter shrugged and took another mouthful of food.

"Shouldn't you have asked what it was involving first?" Arthur frowned slightly.

"Hey, any project that gets me out of classes for a few days with no loss to grades, I'm going for!" Peter exclaimed, "And he said we get to stay overnight some place, too!"

Arthur stared at his brother with a completely blank expression, "You…"

"This sounds familiar for some reason…" Antonio spoke thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Peter blinked.

"You…" Arthur shook slightly. "You are an idiot! Is this supposed to be payback for what I did in tenth grade?!"

"What? I'm just going away for a few days!" Peter waved his hand while laughing, "Yours was totally a fake suicide, and Allistor and Reilly won't be that bad!"

Antonio patted Arthur on the shoulder in a gesture of sympathy, "Deep breaths!"

"What kind of project do you think you're going for?" Arthur argued, "The Project for Change! You're going to put Allistor and Reilly through the same thing a second time!"

"Huh? Is that what yours was called?" Peter looked at him in shock, "Well how was I supposed to know? You never said anything about it!"

Arthur buried his face in his hands, "You are such an idiot! This day could not possibly get any worse…"

"And to think I was saying that all morning." Antonio let out a light laugh, still patting Arthur on the shoulder.

Arthur raised his face long enough to just gaze at Antonio with a blank-faced expression, but couldn't come up with anything to say before Antonio's phone went off.

Antonio glanced at the display and just looked upwards towards the ceiling before putting his phone away, "And Cruz of course inserts his opinion on the status updates."

"I take it he's not agreeing with this…" Arthur shook his head.

"Not a bit." Antonio shrugged, "But it was our decision, not anyone else's."

Arthur just buried his face in his hands again. This lunch was going to be, without a doubt, more stressful than any of his classes. Maybe he should have sat with Gilbert after all!

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Woo. Antonio appeared only in this one just so I wouldn't have to type up the conversation twice.


	8. I cursed myself

The first day of school is always the hardest. That's how it always seems for me.

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Arthur moved through the hallway by himself, Peter having scrambled off to a different stairwell and Antonio had to head for the gymnasium, so that left him alone. He could see Gilbert and Roderich further up the hallway, but wasn't about to admit to them that they had the same lunch and that he just hadn't sat with them. _Though it was really for their own good…especially with that conversation I just had with Antonio…come to think of it. He didn't sit with them either. Why didn't I think to ask him?_

Arthur frowned slightly before shaking his head. Dwelling too much on one subject usually led to him withdrawing into his 'shell' as Allistor put it. Sometimes his older brother could word things in such a way to describe him perfectly, but it annoyed Arthur to no end. _If he does go back to Ireland… it's going to be quieter at the house…_ A sinking feeling fell over him and Arthur shook his head again at the thought of Allistor leaving. _He's a damn adult! He can move wherever the hell he feels like! I'm not going to get upset about this!_

He focused on the hall in front of him and saw Cruz, almost missing that Lovino was sitting next to him on the floor. _…Have they been sitting there since Antonio's phone message?_ Arthur paused. Maybe he should go ask Lovino if he was okay? But Cruz was there, so he should be… Arthur looked down the hall he was supposed to be going through and back towards Lovino and Cruz. From a distance, it seemed like Cruz at least had the situation under control. _It's probably a good thing Antonio wasn't going this way…_ Arthur headed down the hall his study hall was in, and was slightly in shock when he saw Roderich head into the same room.

_Oh great. Now he is going to know I was in his lunch._ Arthur waited a few minutes before heading into the room, gritting his teeth slightly. It was rather annoying upon the discovery he could actually feel when he was starting to withdraw into himself. _I need to find someone to talk to…maybe Alfred will send me a message… or I can just talk to Roderich…_

Arthur sat in the empty seat next to the other male, who seemed preoccupied with his phone. _ But what do you say to someone you've hardly spoken to in a year?_ He glanced at his phone while the bell rang. There had been absolutely nothing last class, which surprised him. He had told Alfred he had lunch after their class together, so he was sure he was going to be getting messaged, but nothing had come. _Maybe his class kept him busy._

Or not.

Arthur frowned at the mentions on the phone of a poetry writing going on in Gilbert's class instead of the history class that it was supposed to be. _Alfred was writing poetry…that's just sad._ Arthur flipped up through the status updates, finding a lull in between the morning's comments and the ones that had followed from Antonio and Matthew. _Lovino was on the roof?_ Arthur made a face. Good thing Antonio hadn't known that one! He definitely would have had a fit. He started reading through the different messages, noticing Cruz's messages towards Lovino seemed to stand out more than anyone else's. Maybe because they were usually including asterisks because of censored words. _He's really looking out for him though… that's rather surprising…_ Arthur tilted his head. The two didn't seem like they got along all that well, but now that something happened between Lovino and Antonio… it was like Cruz was acting like 'big brother'.

Arthur blinked when a message popped up on his screen, not from Alfred like he was thinking (not hoping) it would be, but rather Roderich. _We're sitting right next to each other! Just talk!_

**Roderich: This feels rather awkward, but I did want to apologize for not noticing the way you were in our sophomore year… I suppose it was due to pure stupidity, but any anger towards me I can understand completely.**

_...He thought I was mad?_ Arthur hesitated, looking up at Roderich, who was now looking out the window, while absentmindedly spinning his phone around.

"I was never mad at you." Arthur spoke up finally.

"It just seems like we haven't spoken much since then." Roderich said quietly, acting like he was purposely avoiding eye contact.

"Probably because I didn't opt in to student council last year." Arthur set his phone down, attempting to convince himself that he was _not_ waiting for a message from Alfred. _Last year was too overbearing as it was without adding student council on top of it._

"I suppose. We didn't really have that many times that we saw each other." Roderich agreed.

And once again the two fell into silence.

_I'm doing great on killing conversations._ Arthur looked back towards his phone before an update appeared. He leaned to look at it, discovering it was from Allistor this time. Well that was different.

**Allistor: Hey, that interview actually went really well! I made the list to get accepted into the college!**

Arthur suddenly felt as if he had run into a wall. Well, so much for hoping that Allistor's interview wouldn't go over well… of course this was the one that would.

"Oh! One of them actually got accepted!" Roderich was looking at his own phone, "Well it's about time!"

Arthur didn't even touch his phone, looking at it with what must have been such an expression that it prompted Roderich to stare at him.

"Arthur? Is something wrong?" Roderich leaned over, "I should have thought you'd be happy!"

"…" Arthur remained silent for a few minutes, until he was sure he wasn't going to fall apart by speaking, "…Allistor was trying for a college in Ireland…"

Roderich promptly put his phone down, but the message he had sent had already gone through.

**Roderich: Congratulations! All those interviews finally brought you to the right one!**

"I'm regretting that now." Roderich said quietly.

Arthur let out a weak laugh, "It's fine. He's been missing that country for a long time. I just don't even know if he told Reilly…"

"That's going to be an interesting conversation…"

**Reilly: That is so not even fair. ): I still can't find one! Which one did you try?**

"He doesn't know…" Arthur whispered.

"Doesn't look like it." Roderich agreed.

**Allistor: I'll tell you later. Turns out I can join the semester starting up in December, so hey, this is working out after all!**

"That soon?!" Arthur picked up his phone in shock, "Are you kidding me?!"

"He can't hear you." Roderich sighed.

**Reilly: Well let me know soon. I need to find some place that'll accept me.**

**Allistor: You have an interview this evening. Hold out some hope.**

Roderich shook his head, "This is not going to end well at the Kirkland household."

"You watch…" Arthur set the phone back down, ignoring the stares they were getting at his last outburst, "He won't even tell Reilly. He'll just leave."

Roderich watched him in concern for a few minutes before typing a message into his phone.

Arthur looked at the update in confusion.

**Roderich: What do you say to someone who's torn apart between happiness and tears?**

**Reilly: What the hell is going on at the school?**

**Allistor: Anyway!**

**Gilbert: Wait, Roddy, what did I just miss?**

**Roma: Counselors are standing by!**

"That was motivating." Roderich commented dryly.

"Actually. That was helpful. Excuse me." Arthur stood up and hurried out of the room, avoiding the teacher's questioning gaze as he ran.

Once out in the hall, Arthur looked upwards towards the ceiling, blinking back tears for a minute before heading towards the office. Talking to someone would be the only way he was getting through the rest of this horrible day. _And to think I was just saying this day could not get worse! Thank you fate!_

The messages on his phone kept going, mostly from Gilbert to Roderich now, with nothing from either redhead, showing complete obliviousness at their involvement. Arthur put the phone in his pocket, ignoring any further conversation. _This school year… it's going to get better from here on out right?_

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Uh… well. With mostly everyone having a bad day, it can only get better from here on out! Ha. Ha. Ha.


	9. Saw my entire life in two seconds

Classes are repetitive once a class is written one time, that's my excuse for writing this chapter with being after-school hours and I'm sticking to it. =w=

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Arthur was barely listening to a word the hyperactive-blonde next to him was saying while they walked in a surprisingly (if only because Arthur was amazed Alfred didn't leave him in the dust) slow pace. His thoughts kept drifting back to the status messages on the phone and Roma's attempts at cheering him up. The adult had brought up that Arthur could just call Allistor if he needed to talk to his older brother. _Never mind the fact that Allistor will be in a different timezone and probably wonder why the hell I'm calling and waking him up._

"Arthur?"

Arthur blinked and looked at Alfred in surprise, "Hm?"

"Dude. You weren't listening to a word I was saying, were you?" Alfred shook his head and patted Arthur on the back, "The school day is over, show some energy!"

"I have no energy." Arthur said flatly, "I feel like a zombie."

"…Hungry for brains?" Alfred burst out laughing.

Arthur crossed his arms and shot a glare at him, "Well in the case you'd be safe. Seeing as how you don't have one!"

"Hey!" Alfred gaped at him with a mock-hurt expression, "That was just mean!"

"Honestly." Arthur stalked down the sidewalk, "So what if my mind was somewhere else! If it had been earth-shattering important I'm sure you would have repeated it by now!"

Alfred pouted and hurried after the shorter male, "I was trying to cheer you up because you were looking sad!"

"I'm not sad!" Arthur snapped, his face almost turning scarlet, "There's no reason to even try!"

"Come to the movies with me then!" Alfred tugged on Arthur's arm, trying to pull him towards the theater on the next block over.

"I'm going home." Arthur stood his ground and pulled in the opposite direction, "Mental support for Reilly trying to get into the college he's interviewing for later."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Alfred sighed, "Fiiiine. I'll go by myself."

"Take Matthew with you." Arthur huffed.

"…Matthew doesn't like horror movies."

"NEITHER DO I!" Arthur yelled, "Why would you even try to take me to one?!"

Alfred tilted his head, looking as if he was about to answer but thought better of it, "I'm just gonna go now! See you tomorrow Arthur!" He spun on his heel and ran off towards the movie theater.

"Huh?" Arthur stared after the running blonde in confusion, "What the hell was that about?" Throwing his hands in the air in momentary frustration, Arthur stalked off towards home, "Idiot." _You talk about wanting to cheer me up… you could have suggested just going on a walk. That I probably would have done._ Arthur dragged his feet towards his house, staring at the building as it came into view.

_I wonder if Allistor's home…maybe I'll just be a hermit and go straight to my room._ He paused by the mailbox, discovering that it was empty proved him right that his brothers were home. _Of course if I do be a hermit, they're going to wonder what's wrong… maybe they're still mad at me over whatever I did this morning and won't try talking to me…_

He pushed open the front door and wandered into the kitchen, stopping only a minute inside the door when he heard a yell coming from the living room. Apparently Reilly was playing the game Peter had been last night.

"That car just came out of nowhere!"

"He was right behind you the whole time." Allistor's voice came from the livingroom as well, "He used a turbo to get past you."

"That's a bunch of crap!" Reilly snapped.

Moving through the kitchen, Arthur peered into the livingroom cautiously. Both redheads were intent on the television set, so he walked by and headed for the stairs without saying a word. _If they're preoccupied then that means I can get up the stairs without any hermit comments._ He had made it halfway up the steps when Allistor came out.

"Hm?" Allistor glanced upwards and saw Arthur had paused on the stairs, "Oh hello. You coulda said you were home."

"I wasn't about to interrupt the cursing at the videogame." Arthur said flatly and continued going up the stairs, "…Is Peter home yet?"

"Not that I saw." Allistor leaned on the counter in the dining room and watched his brother cross the upstairs hallway, "You coming back down?"

"Maybe later. I'm going to lay down for a bit." Arthur went into his bedroom and shut the door behind him. He slumped against the closed door before moving to his bed and collapsing next to his bed rather than on it. Kneeling on the carpet, Arthur stretched his arms across his mattress, and rested his chin on the top of his bed.

First school day has come and gone. And really the only thing that he probably would remember of today was Lovino being up on the school roof. _I wonder if that means he's having problems again._ Remembering the phone conversation he had started reading earlier, Arthur pulled the phone out of his pocket and started scrolling back through the messages.

The bedroom door was opened a minute later and Allistor leaned in the doorframe, "Something's bothering you?"

"If you mean it as a statement why do you bother making it sound like a question?" Arthur backfired, still intent on focusing on the phone in front of him, "Geez, they really did talk a lot…"

"Because you hardly ever answer." Allistor responded flatly.

Arthur looked up from his phone, but it was to glare at the wall, not at the person speaking, "Go away." He stared back down at the screen and continued to read through the events of the morning. _That fight must have been a huge one…_

"…" Allistor wandered over and sat down on the floor beside Arthur, looking towards the opposite side of the room that Arthur was facing, "I take it by the way our phones have been going off all morning that something happened."

"I will never understand why you have everyone's phone numbers when you hardly talk to them." Arthur returned the phone to his pocket and scowled, "And in any case, anything that happened is on the phones, so if you want to know, look at your damn phone."

"Already did. Saw two people broke up." Allistor leaned his head back so the back of it was resting on Arthur's bed.

"Then why are you talking to me about it?!" Arthur pushed himself away from the bed and his brother and laid down on the floor instead, "It didn't even involve me!"

"I noticed that. You hardly said anything at all."

Arthur lifted his head enough to glare at Allistor, "I was attempting to pay attention in class unlike some other people!"

"Huh…is that why?" Allistor didn't even try to sound like he believed Arthur and kept his gaze on the ceiling.

Arthur sat up again and continued to glare at the redhead, "Was there something you wanted besides to make thinly veiled comments that I'm being a hermit?"

Allistor lifted his head and stared at Arthur with a blank expression on his face, "You are being one."

"I didn't even say I wasn't!" Arthur snapped, "But you don't have to come in here and tell me that!"

"Well obviously something else happened otherwise you wouldn't be on the edge of hysteria right now." Allistor crossed his arms.

Arthur turned his head to stare at some other spot in the room. _I can't even answer that. I'm not telling him it was because of the comment he made about getting into college, and I'm almost positive I'm not supposed to bring up the project for change. So what the hell do I say?!_

Allistor tilted his head when he didn't get a response, "Normally you would try and deny that."

"Normally I would have a little more faith in my lying." Arthur stood up and promptly left the bedroom, "I am not having this discussion!"

"Hey!" Allistor got up and followed after him, "What the hell happened?"

"Nothing! Just drop it!" Arthur almost ran down the stairs, but really had no place to go besides the front door, and somehow he doubted he would even make it that far, especially since he could see the video game was paused now (apparently Reilly was listening to the raised voices in case he needed to make an intervention ).

"That wasn't convincing in the slightest." Allistor remarked dryly.

Arthur threw up his hands in frustration and spun to glare at Allistor, "I already said that something _did _happen, but I also don't want to talk about it! Get off my case already!"

Peter skipped into the house at that moment and stopped short upon seeing Arthur and Allistor glaring at one another, with Reilly in the doorframe of the living room looking back and forth between the two, "Uh…"

"Hello." Reilly waved at him, "You're home rather late."

"Uh…yeah… I was talking to some…friends after school and lost track of time…" Peter looked between Arthur and Allistor nervously, "What's going on?"

"Not a clue." Reilly looked more amused than anything else."

Any retort or comment that would have come from Allistor was (thankfully) cut off when Arthur's phone started ringing. Arthur pulled it out of his pocket once more and walked a few steps away from Allistor before answering, glaring at his brother as he did so, "What do you want?"

_"That's so not a polite greeting."_

Arthur slapped the palm of his hand to his forehead and stalked past Peter to stand on the front porch instead of in the dining room, "You said you were going to see a movie!"

_"Changed my mind! I'm just kinda wandering around now instead."_

Arthur sat on the front steps and leaned against the railing post, "And you're calling me why?"

_"Uh…to apologize?"_

"You're actually apologizing. That's a first." Arthur scoffed.

_"I've apologized before! I just wanted to say sorry if I upset you earlier! I mean, I know you don't like horror movies, but it was the only thing I could come up with on short notice as to why I wasn't asking Matthew to go along so…"_

"…If you didn't want the company you could have just said that."Arthur became slightly aware of someone standing behind him and leaned back to see Reilly was in the doorway now, "Would you go away?! Can I not have a private conversation?!"

"Apologizing for what?" Reilly asked, not bothering to give Arthur a response.

"Apparently not." Arthur picked himself up and stalked away from the house, "Where are you at anyway? Obviously I am not getting privacy here."

_"You're coming to me? I'm about a block away from the theater."_

Arthur shot a glare over his shoulder and hung up the phone, leaving the house behind him as he made his way back to the movie theater. "I really can't get a break from these people." At least not being home meant not accidentally bring up the subject from earlier with Peter.

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"Arthur!" Alfred waved cheerfully, "Huh? Why do you look even more upset?"

"Nothing." Arthur scowled at him, "I'm fine."

Alfred tilted his head and the two of them walked along the sidewalk in silence.

Arthur heard someone talking quietly and it took a minute before it registered that Alfred was talking to himself, "What are you even saying?"

Alfred's face turned red and he shook his head hastily, "Nothing! I was just…reciting something to myself so I don't forget it later…"

Arthur halted in the middle of the sidewalk and stared straight ahead while Alfred glanced around in confusion, trying to see what had made Arthur stop so suddenly.

"Why am I even here." Arthur spoke through gritted teeth.

"Huh?" Alfred tilted his head, "You came over to talk to me, right?"

"And you've been talking to yourself the entire time." Arthur snapped, "I am really not in the mood to play games with people, I've already had one argument with somebody at home, and I'm not about to have another one with you!" Arthur continued walking away from Alfred.

"What were you fighting about?" Alfred recovered from his shock and caught up much to Arthur's annoyance.

"As stupid as it sounds, we were fighting about something that I didn't want to talk about. And I don't want to talk about it with you either." Arthur turned his head away and went to a crosswalk.

Alfred frowned, "It's not stupid if you don't want to talk about something, and I wasn't going to ask. I was just trying to find some way of apologizing to you about earlier!"

"You already said you were sorry on the phone!" Arthur argued, starting across the street once the signal had changed, "I don't see why you have to keep repeating yourself!"

"You're still upset about it and…" Alfred's voice trailed off just as a loud horn sounded, "Whoa!"

Arthur suddenly found a car less than a foot away from him, running through the redlight to keep on moving without even slowing down, "…"

"Man, that was really close!" Alfred yanked him the rest of the way across the street and glared off in the direction that the car had gone, "And totally uncalled for!"

Arthur hit his head against the wall of the building they stood by, "I just saw my life flash before my eyes…"

"Are you okay?" Alfred panicked and leaned forward to try and see the expression on Arthur's face, "Arthur!"

Arthur half-pushed himself away from the wall and glanced around them before realizing some of the other cars remained where they were at, with the occupants staring at them, "…" His face reddened and he promptly started off down the sidewalk, keeping one hand on the wall, "This is embarrassing!"

"Yo!" Alfred hurried after him, "Who cares if people are looking over here? Take it easy, would you?"

"I'm not standing in a spot where I'm being stared at by people I don't know!" Arthur snapped, "Besides, I'm fine."

Alfred didn't look like he believed what Arthur was saying at all.

"…more fine than I would have been if the car had actually hit me." Arthur sighed, "Ugh, I do not want to go through that again…"

"Please don't." Alfred tugged on Arthur's sleeve, "I don't think I could see you in a hospital again, seriously!"

Arthur just rested a hand on Alfred's shoulder for a moment before dropping the hand to his side again, "I don't think Allistor and Reilly would even let me be in a hospital again."

"Can't really avoid it if you're injured." Alfred made a face.

"That driver would have a curse put on him if they found about it…_which they're not going to._" Arthur glared at Alfred.

"Not from me!" Alfred promised.

They walked on in silence, making their way slowly back to Arthur's house.

_I just about had a heart attack!_ Alfred looked off towards the street, avoiding looking at Arthur. _I seriously thought he was about to get hit by that guy!_

_I wonder if Alfred will really keep quiet about this…_ Arthur frowned slightly. Definitely the last thing he needed them to find about. _And of course one of them would no doubt ask if I had even bothered looking before starting across the street._ Arthur paused, coming to a sudden realization. He hadn't looked at all. He had just stepped out. _Most people would look before crossing you idiot!_

"Hm? Arthur, you okay?" Alfred stopped a few paces ahead of him and looked back.

"…I'm fine." Arthur started walking again and kept his gaze on the sidewalk. _I wonder if Alfred noticed…_

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Sorry this took so long, but I ran into writer's block so hard on this chapter.


	10. I HATE CHILD CUSTODY

Can't remember if I said this before so, you may notice the occasional day/week-timeskip. This is an effort to keep things moving along without having the repetitiveness of school days. :)

_Date is currently September 23 (about three weeks in between the last chapter and this one)_

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_Nearing the end of September already…_ Arthur stared at the blackboard. That meant Allistor would be leaving in two months time. And somewhere in there, or after, Peter would also be leaving. _Idiot._ Arthur sighed. _I shouldn't be so mad at him though. I suppose it is my own fault for not telling them the name of it, but then again, I didn't know I would have to!_

"Now there will be an upcoming field trip…"

Arthur blinked. What. He had just missed the entirety of what was said!

"You all seem to be moving at par with my fourth class, so I have decided to have the two groups meet up and we will all head for a local museum!" Mrs. Thompson leaned against the board, "The field trip will be taking place in two weeks! I understand this will be a difficult time for some of you…"

_Huh?_ Arthur tilted his head. Difficult time?

"Being as it's the beginning of school year and all and some of you take your schooling more seriously than others…" Mrs. Thompson continued, "But rest assured, I will be talking to your other teachers and making certain that no classword will be held against you that day!"

_Oh that's a relief. We won't have to make it up!_ Arthur relaxed in his chair.

"So the future notice should give you all some time to find out where your lessons might be in the other classes and study accordingly if you feel the need to! More about the field trip…this local museum has cordially invited us to…"

Arthur stared out the window. Anything said about field trips were bound to be repeated over the next two weeks and the day of. No need to be sick of listening to it before then!

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"I'm trying to be helpful!"

"You're not." Arthur backfired.

Alfred pouted and waved his arms around, "I don't want this thing anymore than you do! But we gotta split up the time somehow!"

Arthur glared at the babydoll in between them, "I don't want a child. Especially not one that screams when it's ignored, wails when it hasn't been fed, and even requires a fake diaper change every couple hours!"

"Well it can't be helped!" Alfred sighed, "Look, we'll just alternate from day to day so we don't go crazy! Flip coin for the first day?"

"Fine. Tails." Arthur scowled.

"Whoever's side lands up gets child custody!"

"I want alimony then."

Alfred flipped the coin and watched it land on the desk, "…Tails it is!"

"Terrific. I'm stuck with this thing." Arthur gave a glare to the babydoll.

"We should name it!" Alfred grinned.

Arthur raised his head to turn the glare to Alfred, "Add to my misery why don't you."

"Is it a he or a she?" Alfred tilted his head.

"Well the blue blanket would indicate that it is in fact, a boy."

Alfred tilted his head, "…How about…"

"No names inspired by any of your movies or video games."

Alfred pouted, "Fiiiiiine."

In the end, they had ended up not agreeing on a name, so they just compromised on calling the child whatever name they wanted to (provided it wasn't insulting) when they had the child.

Arthur signed the chart next to the doll and stalked out of the room, making a mental note to pick up the annoying thing after school. _Oh I can just imagine the looks on everyone's faces…_ And yes, that was the main reason he hadn't wanted it!

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"I'd like to thank each of you for bringing me your dishes in a timely manner this morning!" Miss Summers beamed at the students scattered around the room, "I've graded each one according to the guideline I'm handing out, with comments on each level with reasons why I did or why I didn't give it the highest score."

Arthur made a face at his chart, the usual grade was a flat C. This time was no different, though… Arthur's gaze stopped at the "taste" block, that had amazingly gotten the highest rating. The comment however… _Very interesting range of flavors…? Isn't that a bad thing?_

"I got a good mark on the visual appeal!" Alfred grinned.

"You can make very colorful dishes." Arthur agreed, "I'll give her that one."

"Taste I bombed though…"

"Funny, I passed that one. Everything else seems to be average…"

Alfred pouted for a moment before putting the paper down as he redirected his attention to the teacher who was speaking once more.

"In an effort for you to branch out in your cooking skills, I want each of you to make a dinner for one tonight! This is jumping it a bit in skill level, but I think this would be a good chance to show your skills in more than just one course of a meal!"

"Dinner for one…" Arthur repeated.

"Try to make it a nicely balanced meal, at least one type of fruit or vegetable, a small meat, unless you're going for a vegetarian entrée of course."

"Hmm…wonder what I should do… maybe I'll make a homemade pizza!" Alfred grinned, "Then I can eat the rest of it!"

"Make sure you don't eat all of it." Arthur said flatly, "I wonder what I should make… I'm not about to buy a fish and fry it. That would just be a pain."

Maybe he should just make a salad. But what would the side dish be? A fruit bowl? That would be a good range, right? And it was impossible to screw up a fruit salad!

* * *

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Boy was he ever wrong. Arthur glared at the produce section of the local supermarket, with the small child in a carrier on his back (and of course he was getting strange looks from people walking by). "What the hell kind of fruit goes in a fruit salad? Oranges right?" He put two oranges in the open bag he was holding before glaring at the doll, "You could try and offer an opinion you know!" Maybe some bananas and strawberries?

By the time he actually left the market, he had a lot more produce than a meal for one person. _I'm going to be eating salad for supper, breakfast, and supper again!_ Arthur sighed and made his way home. Thankfully Kirkland Jr. had kept his mouth shut the entire time. The last thing he wanted was to have a wailing child in a supermarket. _I am not about to be one of those harried parents with the child that won't shut up!_ _I'm not old enough for that!_

Struggling with the large bag, in addition to the diaper bag he had already been carrying, Arthur kicked open the front door and staggered across the kitchen. He could see Reilly talking to their mother in the dining room and tried to get the bag up and onto the counter, but failed miserably and ended up setting it on the floor instead. How can a bag of fruit and vegetables be so damn heavy?! He let the diaper bag drop from his shoulder and land with a loud _thud_ on the floor. _And how much crap is in that thing?!_

"It's something he wanted to do!" Victoria's voice drifted in from the other room (**A.N.** _His parents finally have names_).

"Well no _shit_! I think I figured that much out! He could have said bye before he went though!"

Arthur, once again struggling to pick up the heavy bag, made a face. Apparently Allistor had left early. How extremely polite, and Reilly was in a definite foul mood because of it. _Thanks for talking to him before you left._

Reilly stalked into the kitchen at that point and for an instant his facial expression froze somewhere between anger, annoyance, frustration, and amusement. Amusement won out in the end at seeing his brother bent over with the baby doll on his back.

"Now why are you laughing…oh. Arthur…" Victoria peered around Reilly at her son.

"Don't. Even. Start." Arthur held up one hand, "I am not in the mood for this, and instead of standing there laughing like a damn hyena, _would you help me pick this bag up!?_"

Victoria looked back and forth between Reilly, who was still doubled over laughing, to Arthur, who was at the end of his temper line, "…I'll just help you with that." She reached over and hoisted up the bag onto the counter, "How much did you buy? Goodness!"

"I went a bit overboard. Reilly, you have less than one minute to SHUT UP!" Arthur snapped.

"…Well at least he's in a better mood…" Victoria whispered, unpacking the bag, "What did you buy all this for anyway?"

"I'm supposed to be making a dinner for one for that stupid cooking class." Arthur spoke through gritted teeth, as Reilly's laughter showed no signs of stopping, "And damn it, Alfred is definitely getting custody of this infernal thing tomorrow!"

"Oh that's no way to talk in front of a child." Victoria scolded, "Shame on you!"

"That's supposed to be yours and that blonde guy's kid?"

Arthur watched with a scathing glare as Reilly collapsed against the doorframe, laughing even harder (which Arthur would have thought impossible before now), "What exactly is so funny about this?"

"…You do look a bit…" Victoria leaned backwards a bit, squinting slightly, "Uh…domestic?"

"WOULD YOU BOTH LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Arthur yelled, "This damned doll is for a class project! It's bad enough I have to carry it around everywhere without you all laughing at how I look with it!"

"Does he have a name?" Victoria asked, tilting her head, "We should name him!"

Arthur stared at her in disbelief, "I don't give a crap what you call it. As far as I'm concerned, it can be called trash!"

"You are going to be a terrible dad." Reilly commented, finally controlling his laughs to a couple snickers now and then.

"Thank you for pointing that out." Arthur grumbled, "I think I knew that already!"

"Oh I'm sure he'll do just fine!" Victoria looked back and forth inbetween the two of them, "Maybe we can just come up with a name based on the mannerisms!"

"Hasn't cried once yet. Thankfully." Arthur muttered.

"A nice quiet child!"

"Well Peter's out for the name then!" Reilly crossed his arms and watched his mother and brother.

Arthur made a face, "Am I naming it after someone in the family then? It'd have to be something junior so we all don't get confused if someone's going to be talking to this bloody thing."

"…" Victoria opened her mouth, hesitated, and then looked at Reilly, "Allistor jr.?"

Reilly burst out laughing again.

"We can have Allistor in the house even while he's gone!" Victoria took the doll out of the carrier on Arthur's back, "Welcome to the household!"

The doll started wailing.

"If it's any consolation, I would cry, too." Arthur smiled at the child before grabbing a bottle out of the diaper bag he had dropped on the floor.

"Oh now it's having a temper tantrum. Terrific, mother, you made the thing upset." Reilly rolled his eyes, "And don't tell me you have to bottle feed that thing."

Arthur held up the diaper bag, "Well what else would I be doing with this?"

"I am so glad that class was not in existence before this year." Reilly gave the bag a look of doubt, "That thing shuts up at night time right?"

"…" Arthur just stared at him for a moment, "You keep telling yourself that."

"Real children don't." Victoria looked over at Reilly while Arthur made an attempt to 'feed' Allistor Jr.

"This is going to be a long night." Reilly slapped the palm of his hand to his forehead.

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* * *

_Sometime around 2:30am…_

"ARTHUR, IF YOU DON'T SHUT THAT THING UP SO HELP ME, IT'S GOING OUT THE WINDOW!"

Arthur turned to glare at the wall, bouncing the child in one arm while attempting to hit its back with the other to feign a burp, "If I could shut it up, I would!" He looked upwards towards the ceiling with a pleading gaze. _Please help me. Shut this thing up so I can sleep!_

The wailing, of course, only got louder.

"OH MY GOD."

Arthur let out a frustrated sigh and banged his head up against the wall, trying to avoid the strong, and growing, temptation to fling the kid out the window, "I don't have the patience for this!"

"Arthurrrrrr…" Peter appeared in his bedroom door frame looking at him with a distraught sleepy look on his face, "Can't that thing shut up?"

Reilly showed up next to him, glaring even moreso than Arthur was, "I'm serious. I will chuck that thing until it shuts the hell up."

"That is child abuse." Arthur snapped, cradling the doll while rocking back and forth, "And I'm doing the best I can! If you have a complaint, sleep on the couch or buy earplugs!"

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**Reilly: I hate it when Arthur has child custody.**

**Allistor: What the hell am I missing?**

**Peter: Why doesn't it shut up?!**

**Reilly: Shoulda named the kid Peter after all… and nothing much brother.**

**Peter: I'm not that loud! I don't cry this long either!**

**Allistor: …how did Arthur get a kid?**

**Reilly: Alfred stuck him with child custody.**

**Allistor: How generous of him.**

**Peter: Reilly. Please launch that thing out the window.**

**Reilly: I would if Arthur didn't keep bringing up that it's child abuse.**

**Peter: How is mom not waking up?!**

**Allistor: ._. What is Arthur doing?**

**Reilly: Last I saw, trying to sing it a lullaby. Absolutely hilarious.**

**Allistor: You're videotaping this right?**

**Reilly: I should.**

**Peter: I want to sleep…**

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:) So much fun!


	11. Goodbye Peter!

:D … So to you people just favoriting and signing up for the story alerts, I'd love to have a review from you all, too :D They make me happy and give me feedback for upcoming chapters. :) Help a writer out, would you? C:

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It was an alright month if Arthur absolutely had to describe it. His brother up and leaving so suddenly had left him feeling rather…lonely, but Reilly and Peter filled the void (though Arthur was beginning to suspect that was done on purpose). And as much as he hated to admit it, Allistor Jr. was nice to talk to when everyone else had gone to sleep. He couldn't tell if it was his imagination or not, but the doll seemed to cry a lot less now. Maybe it was receptive to the talking? Like a real child, it needed to hear a voice on a semi-constant basis to feel secure? Maybe he was thinking too hard on this.

He didn't even care when he found out Reilly had sent Allistor a video of him singing a lullaby to the doll. Might as well keep his brothers happy. Though he had thrown the doll at Alfred as soon as he had seen him at school the next morning, telling him the next time he was going to get stuck with child custody, he had better be paid child support up front (boy had they gotten stares on that one).

And the status messages from Alfred's house the next night made it all worthwhile. From Alfred's pleading to Arthur to tell him how to 'shut this unholy demon up' to Matthew's messages that if the doll didn't shut up soon, he was going to suffocate it while Alfred was sleeping. Not that Alfred could have slept while the doll was crying, but hey, the threat still stood. It had turned into brotherly arguing after that, and Arthur had just smiled and gone to sleep.

Despite the way things were going, all in all, it had turned out fairly well. He couldn't help but feel a slight (okay so it was a lot bigger than that) weight of guilt when they were all called to the office. At first, none of them knew what was going on, but Arthur figured it out when their parents showed up not long after. It did seem strange almost...

_The car was going too fast…_

Victoria just stared at the police officer in confusion. How could this have happened? He had just been getting a ride with a friend. They were just going to go somewhere fun after school. How was this even possible?

_It looks like he tried to step on the brakes, there were marks in the asphalt that started a distance away from the redlight…_

Reilly didn't say a word. He stared at a spot on the floor near where the principal was sitting (looking much older than that last time he had seen the adult). He couldn't even lift his head to look at Arthur. _Peter just started high school. This feels like the world's most not-funny practical joke is being played on us._

_…He was killed as soon as the car hit him._

Arthur stared straight-forward. He could feel his parents' gaze going to him now and then, to see how he was doing no doubt, but Arthur was determined to not cry. He would show strength this one time! He knew something the rest of them didn't! He had to be supportive! But…just the thought of something like this happening…

_Another car, who had the greenlight, was already going through the intersection. His car couldn't stop before it struck their vehicle._

Aedan ran a hand through his blonde hair. What the hell was going on. They were just called to the school to be with their children. His youngest had just left the school building not two hours ago! How could these people be gone in less than two hours?!

_We tried. The ambulance crews tried. But we couldn't bring them back. The front-seat passenger and the driver were gone before we got there._

Victoria started rubbing her legs with both hands. It was a nervous habit when things got stressful. But she couldn't help it… _What are we going to say to Allistor? Should we tell him now? Or should we wait?_

_The three passengers in the back were taken to the hospital's emergency room as soon as we could get them there, but I'm sorry. They were too far gone._

Reilly's eyes flickered to Arthur. He seemed to be trying to hold himself together, but there was a slight tremor that was overtaking his younger brother. _He really can't get a break. Things look up and then something like this happens. Who's telling our brother? Who the hell is going to make that call?!_

_We are still investigating the accident, we're trying to understand why the car was going as fast as it was. It's possible the car had a malfunction in the engine and he was trying to brake but something might have failed, we don't know. As soon as we do know, you will know._

Arthur took a deep breath and let out a shuddered sigh. He reached up to wipe the wetness that was going down the side of his face and felt a slight comfort in the form of Reilly's hand resting on top of his other one. It also made him want to cry even more (not that he could hold it back to begin with).

_This was a severe tragedy. And we cannot even begin to comprehend the loss all of you must be feeling. We are so sorry._

Arthur raised his head to look over at where Alfred was sitting. His face was completely white, matching his parents. _It's the second time he was told his twin died. I don't think he's ever going to trust Matthew again. It's strange sitting here. I feel like I should be somewhere else._

…

…

_But…I need to be here. For everyone._


End file.
